Hydraulic torque conversion apparatus



Garza, 1948-. D. L. BUTOW HYDRAULIC TORQUE CONVERSION APPARATUS Filed Nov. 2, 1945 Patented Oct. 26, 1948 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC TORQUE CONVERSION APPARATUS Douglas L. Butow, Evanston, Ill.

Application November 2, 1945, Serial No. 625,296

3 Claims.

This invention relates to hydraulic torque conversion apparatus. The invention will be useful in the transmission of power from reciprocating means in motors of various types of rotating structures. A large variety of uses will be obvious.

-An object of the invention is to provide simple and effective structure for hydraulic torque conversion through the means of a reciprocating driver or piston to a rotor structure. A further object is to provide .means for controlling the delivery of power irrespective of the speed of the reciprocating driver or piston. Yet another object is to provide mechanism in which a plurality of hydraulic torque conversion units are employed for driving a rotor in opposite directions and for controlling the speed of the rotor. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment,. by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, the section be ng taken as indicated at line I-l of Fig. 3; Fig. 2, a broken sectional view showing the gate valve in lowered position; and Fig. 3, a top plan view of apparatus embodying a number of torque conversion units.

In the illustration given, A designates a casing which may be of any suitable construction. In the form illustrated, the casing provides an outer wall Ill and an inner wall I I running parallel with the outer wall ID on the lower side of the structure and providing a piston cylinder I2. I 3 designates an outer casing which provides, with the casing ID, a release or control channel It. The walls In and I3 are greatly expanded at one end to provide a rotor chamber l5. The inner wall I6 provides an outlet conduit |1 through which liquid from the rotor may return to a reservoir l8 provided also by the wall I3. The wall l6 merges at its lower end into the wall I I. A short wall l9 connects an intermediate portion of wall I6 and wall H to provide therebetween an open chamber 20 providing access to the gate valve, as will be later described.

The reservoir l8 may be provided with vanes 2| which decrease the turbulence of the liquid flowing back and increase the efficiency of the flow.

A shaft 22 extends through the side wall of the casing A and is provided with a crank 23 upon which is mounted the piston arm 24. Member 24 is connected at 25 with the open-ended piston 26. The piston 26 is open on its rear side at 21. It is similarly open at 28 on its front side, but is there controlled by a valve 29 pivotally secured to the piston at 30. The trap valve 29 permits the piston to go rearwardly through liquid, with liquid passing entirely through the opening 28,

- 2 but on its forward stroke the valve 20 prevents the flow of liquid through the piston 26.

Just forward of the piston 26, I provide a gate valve control member 3|. The gate valve 3| extends through an opening in the wall H and through the wall l0. The valve is guided by members 32 and 33, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The valve 3| is provided centrally with an aperture 34, and at its bottom is provided with a closure member 35. The wall i0 is apertured at 36 to permit liquid to flow from the cylinder l2 into the channel l4.

Within the rotor chamber l5is mounted a rotor 31 carried by shaft 38. The rotor is equipped on its periphery with vanes 39, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1.

The torque conversion units A may be arranged in any suitable manner. In the illustration given in Fig. 3, four of the units are arranged in a parallel arrangement, but two of the units are arranged in opposite directions so that they may tend to rotate the common shaft 38 in an opposite direction.

It will be understood that any means for manipulating separately gates 3| for each of the units or for manipulating them in groups may be employed.

The check valve 40 in cylinder [2 is pivoted to the wall H and preferably sealed along its free sides by the flange 4|. The valve permits flow of liquid matter toward the vanes 39 during the power stroke of piston 2-0, but prevents back flow when piston 26 is being retracted.

In the operation of the structure, the shaft 22 is rotated by power means (not shown), and the crank 23 through the piston arm 24 causes the piston ZS-to reciprocate. As the piston moves to the right, the valve 29 opens and liquid is free to pass therethrough. When, however, the pis ton is thrust forwardly, the valve 29 closes and provides a sealing closure for the front of the piston and liquid is forced under the power impulse forwardly against the vanes 39 of rotor 31. In normal operation, the gate valve 3| is in elevated position, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, and allows the liquid to pass through theaperture 34 and against the vanes. The liquid flows upwardly around the rotor 31 and is discharged through the passage l1, flowing backwardly into the reservoir chamber l8, and from thence into the rear of the cylinder l2.

Should the operator desire to stop the operation of rotor 31 without stopping the power shaft 22,

the gate valve 3| is dropped to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the liquid flows forwardlyand then downwardly through the aperture 36 and through relief channel [0 back to the reservoir 3. In the latter operation, the upper portion of the gate valve 3| seals the cylinder passage l2, while the aperture 34 of the gate valve opens the passage Hi. If a small amount of power is to be delivered to the vanes 39, the valve 3| is dropped partially so that only a portion of the liquid is permitted to escape through the release channel l4, Thus, effective and quick control is maintained upon the operation of the rotor 31', no matter how rapidly the shaft 22 may be operated.

It will be understood that the units A may be arranged in any sequence and in any order in order to obtain specific results. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the two units A on the lefthand side of the structure will propel the com,- mon rotor shaft 38 in one direction, while the four units A on the righthand side of the structure will propel the rotor shaft -'38 in the other direction. Thus, the structures may be balanced against each other as braking means or employed for the purpose of reversing the operation. For example, the four units A may drive the common shaft 38 in the usual direction to give forward speed, 1

while the two units A on the opposite side may be employed for rotating shaft 38 in the opposite direction to give a reverse movement.

The check valve 40 operates in conjunction with the piston 26 permittin flow toward the vanes during the power stroke but preventing back flow of liquid matter toward the piston during the rearward stroke of the piston. This results in sealing the piston chamber when the piston is on the intake stroke and therefore relieves any back pressure created by the rotor vanes while the piston cylinder is receiving its charge of liquid matter.

In the structure shown in'Fig. 3 where multiple units are employed, it will be noted, the common driver 22 may be connected to any suitable mechanism and the member 22 serves as a common drive shaft for all the units on the one side of the structure.

In the use of the term liquid, herein, it will beunderstqod that 'I intend to cover any liquid matter which may be employed for the efiective operation of the structure described.

' It will be understood that the tructure shown is merely illustrative of the invention and that considerable variation may be made in the physical structure to produce efficient operation. Further, the details given may be modified widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: i

1. In hydraulic torque conversion apparatus, a casing providing a substantially straight piston conduit, an arcuate rotor chamber communicating on one side with the forward end of said condu-it,- and communicating on another side with a reservoir in communication with the rear end of said conduit, said casing also providing a passage outside of said rotor chamber leading from the forward end of said conduit and about said rotor chamber and communicating with said reservoir,

a rotor member mounted in said rotor chamber and equipped'with outwardly extending vanes, a casing memberforming an extension of Said casing providing said piston conduit and extending part-way around said rotor toprovide between it and the rotor casing an intermediate passage establishing cgmmunication between said rotor chamber and said reservoir, a piston mounted for reciprocation in said conduit and havin a passage therethrough equipped with a check valve, means for reciprocating said piston, said check valve opening said passage in the piston when said piston is drawn rearwardly and closing it when said piston is advanced.

2. In hydraulc torque conversion apparatus, a casing providing a piston conduit, a rotor chamber communicating therewith, a reservoir chamber connecting said rotor chamber and the inlet side of said conduit, a piston mounted for reciprocation in said conduit and having a passage therethrough, a check valve controllin said passage through said piston, means for reciprocating said piston, said valve allowing liquid to flow through said piston when the same is moved rearwardly and preventing flow therethrough when said piston is advanced, a. check valve in said ccnduit between said piston and rotor chamber and allowing liquid to pass toward said chamber but preventing flow from said rotor chamber toward said piston and vanes extending upwardly and rearwardly in said reservoir chamber permitting the flow of liquid from said rotor chamber toward the rear end of said piston conduit but impedin the flow of liquid in the opposite direction when said piston is moved rearwardly.

3. In hydraulic torque conversion apparatus, a casing providing a piston conduit, a rotor chamber communicatin with the forward end of said piston conduit, a returnchamber connecting said rotor chamber and the rear end of said piston conduit, 3, piston mounted for reciprocation'in said conduit and having a passage therethrough,

,a check valve mounted in said piston to prevent flow of liquid through said piston when said piston is advanced but to allow flow therethrough when saidpiston is drawn -rearwardly,,means for reciprocating said piston, casing means providing a conduit between the forward end of said piston passage. and said return chamber, valve means c tr l h flow of liquid t ou h ai last-mentioned conduit and-the now from said piston conduit to said rotor chamber, a rotor mounted in said chamber and equipped with vanes, a return conduit between said rotor chamber and said return chamber, and upwardly and ,rearwardlyeentending vanes allowing flow of liquid through said return chamber toward the inlet of said piston conduit but obstructing flow of liquidin the opposite direction Whensaid piston is b i m ed rearwa d v.

. DoUCrLAs L. BUTOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Atwater July 16, 1878 Heimlioh Mar. 21, 1899 Hibbard June 7, 1904 Bauer .Apr. 23, 1907 Schmucker Nov.7, 1911 Hughes Aug. 20, 1912 Ludwig Apr. 14, 19151 Nathan Apr. 7, 1942 Thomas Dec. 5, b

FOREIGN PA'IENTS cou r D Great Britain Apr. 16, 1913 Fr b.,1 191 3 Number umber 

